Perseus of Rome
by Drakenn
Summary: Percy Jackson is not a son of Poseidon as many thought, instead he is a son of Neptune. A child of Neptune that has either a terrible and dark future ahead of him or a bright and glorious one. Which one will he choose? Find out by reading the story.
1. Chapter 1

Thunder rumbled as a lightning bolt crossed the sky. Dark, almost black clouds boiled across the heavens over the New York City. A storm was not an uncommon thing, yet this storm seemed to have an intellect of its own, or as if it was controlled by a being of immense power. Power that was beyond the realm of human understanding and comprehension. Instead of moving, even slowly, it was stuck above Manhattan and Empire State Building, dumping liters upon liters of water on the streets and buildings below.

A man with sea green eyes and neatly kept dark hair looked at the sky and frowned. "Brother, is this really necessary?" he asked, looking at a man standing next to him. They looked very similar. Both of them had the regal looks and grace of people that were born into families of nobility. However, there was a striking difference in their eyes. One had sea green ones, while the other had dark blue. "To cause a storm to make me come here."

"Your son stole it, Neptune."

Neptune snorted, flames of mirth in his eyes. "What proof do you have, brother?" he asked, his voice level and calm. "We both know that he doesn't know that I'm his father. The boy doesn't even know that he has godly heritage. He thinks that he is a mortal that has mortal parents, a mother and a father that dumped him right after he was born."

Neptune's brother fell silent for several long moments. "That's true, my brother. However, someone did it and I want the thief brought to me by the summer solstice. If that doesn't happen, someone will pay for it..."

Neptune's nostrils flared in anger and thunder rumbled above them as he looked at his brother. "You don't suggest, Jupiter, that you attack me for a thing I didn't do? I might not be the King of Olympus, but I rule the oceans of the world and you know the power I command."

Jupiter looked at his brother, an eyebrow arched in an unasked question.

"By the end of this week my son will be in the Wolf House under Lupa's guidance. And you won't touch him," Neptune said as a loud thunder rumbled above their heads and the rain picked up in intensity. "Unless you want for me to send some monsters after Jason?"

"You wouldn't dare?" Jupiter said as yet another thunder rumbled overhead. "You aren't known for being vengeful, brother."

"Yet you threaten to kill my son. For a thing I didn't, nor did he do." Neptune's voice was ice cold and his eyes dimmed significantly. "I am in a gentle and calm mood now, yet you know that I'm not always such and you don't want me to show you what the Stormbringer can achieve."

Jupiter bowed his head and looked at the sky, the turbulent weather calming down. Neptune would have rolled his eyes, his brother loved to show off, but currently he didn't want to show his loving brother that his theatrics were amusing. "Very well," he said. "Your son is gone by the end of the week and the Greeks will get a quest to track down the one that stole the bolt."

"That's fair," Neptune said and looked at the ocean visible off in the distance. "Sally won't be happy that her son needs to travel across the whole country and to the west coast. She always wanted him to stay close."

Jupiter looked at Neptune and smiled. "He needs the training the _Fulminata _can give him and you know that mortal wealth is not a problem for us." The King of Olympus shrugged. "I won't stop you if you give her enough money to move west. Mayhaps that might be fortunate for Olympus and Rome in the long run."

"Of course brother," Neptune said. "You want all of your chess pieces on your board and have them moving the way you planned for them."

Jupiter didn't say a thing, just disappeared. The only sign of his prior existence was a faint smell of ozone in the air.

"Brother, you really are predictable and easy to see through," Neptune said and shook his head. "You still fear for your throne and crown. Even if none of us tried to make a move in the last several centuries."

Neptune closed his eyes and was gone from the top of the Empire State Building. The next second he was in California. To be exact, it was Sonoma Valley. The place where Roman demigods received their first training and then began their trip to the Legion and its Camp. A trip that was supposed to weed out those that weren't worthy of joining the Legion.

Between the burned out shell of the Wolf House and the forests around it Neptune could see dozens of wolves. Some of them normal animals, the rest much bigger and much deadlier beings. Minor deities that served Lupa and Diana. He was an intruder there. He was an Olympian, a powerful one at that, but an intruder still and no matter how powerful he was he needed to be cautious.

"What do you want from us, Lord Neptune?" one of the wolves, bigger than the rest asked as it changed form from a wolf form to that of a beautiful woman wearing an ornate suit of armor as if she was ready for war. "You never come to us, never, yet now you are here."

Neptune sized Lupa up and nodded at her. "I have a need for you and your pack," he said as clouds gathered above them, making most means of spying and scrying almost impossible to perform. "My son is on the East Coast. He needs to be brought here, trained, and sent to the Legion."

Lupa's eyes narrowed as she looked at Neptune, watching, analyzing him. "Why didn't I know about his existence? I know about every single one of your children that are Roman. Yet I didn't know about this one."

"I had reasons, Lupa. You won't question them, not now. Not soon."

The tensions hung in the air and Neptune could see that the wolf goddess of Rome was unhappy. Yet he knew that her desire to protect and train the demigods would win, sooner or later, and that she would agree to do what he wanted her to do. He would need to later pay for it, but angry, even mad Lupa was less dangerous than the Olympians angry at him.

"Very well, my lord," the wolf goddess said, baring her elongated canines in anger. "My wolves will venture east and bring him here. Then I will train him here like I trained any other demigod since the Rome was founded."

"Greeks are close to him and a satyr is watching him," Neptune said and Lupa's eyes darkened. "I will deliver him here and make sure he is here on the noon five days from now. I don't trust you with his safety, not with how close the Greeks are and not with the ancient evils stirring under the domain of my brother. My servant will see to him being delivered here."

Lupa let out a low growl and then she was gone. A massive wolf once again in the place of the human. Her golden eyes looked at Neptune for several more seconds before she bowed her head and ran away into the forest.

o-0-o

Perseus Jackson, normally called Percy unless he did something wrong or someone was angry at him, was an average student of Yancy Academy, a boarding school for troublesome kids in New York City. He'd gotten expelled from every single school he had ever attended, from some sooner, from some later, but in none he lasted for a whole year.

This one looked more or less like any other for him and he wondered when he would be expelled from it. It was one of the constants of his life, same as Smelly Gabe being an awful step-father.

Oh, if being expelled from every school was not bad enough. Percy also had an abusive step-father that spent whole days playing games and drinking. When not doing that he was abusive towards the family. And if that wasn't that bad, Percy also had ADHD and dyslexia which made him suffer in school and be unable to sit down in a single place.

"You need to study, Perce," Grover said and Percy looked at his only friend. Grover Underwood, the only person that decided to stick with him and liked him. "The exam is tomorrow and Mr Brunner expects you to perform well on it."

"I know," Percy said and sighed. "I really know, Grover. You don't need to remind me about it."

Grover nodded and Percy let out a shallow sigh of relief. He knew that he needed to do well on that exam and he liked Mr Brunner, yet the additional pressure and motivation didn't help him. Not at all, it only made him more stressed and unable to focus. He didn't need it all.

o-0-o

Chiron rubbed his eyes tiredly as he looked at another essay he needed to grade as Mr Brunner. He enjoyed teaching, but it usually didn't involve as much paperwork as at Yancy and he was already fairly certain that Perseus was a son of Poseidon. Yet he didn't quite smell like Poseidon, more like Neptune.

Chiron paused and looked up. He felt something more than he heard it and his instincts felt as if several thousand volts flowed through his nerves.

A god or something close to its power appeared somewhere inside of the building. A thing he didn't want to deal with, not now. Especially not now when he already had a Fury sniffing around. Agents of Hades were up to something and the most likely thing was that they also sought the master bolt. Or the son of Poseidon.

Both weren't good, but if it was the first, maybe, maybe, he could talk with them and send them elsewhere as he was sure Percy didn't have the bolt. However, if they were after Percy, then he was in trouble.

Hades wasn't a god that was easy to appease and still had a grudge against his siblings. Gods had long memories and in solitude they had plenty of reasons to work on their dislike of their siblings and make injustice look even worse. If the division of kingdoms wasn't bad enough, then the oath they all were forced to take, one all but Hades broke after World War Two only made Hades more resentful. Styx was in his domain and it was often his task to chase down those that broke oaths on her name.

Chiron could deal with any of the Furies, but not when Percy was to be protected and Grover too. Grover was a protector, but he stood no chance against the Furies and the beings they could summon. Percy had the potential, only and just that. Potential to be a great hero, but not now and not without plenty of training.

Something moved on the other side of the door of his office and Chiron tensed. He reached for Anaklusmos and prepared for a fight.

Doors opened and Chiron was surprised. Instead of another agent of Hades that was there for a fight, he was facing a goddess that was as far away from the Underworld as you could get. She was of noble looks with fair hair and blue eyes, radiating power and majesty in a way not many gods could. She was dressed in a long white dress covered in racing horses and warriors mounted atop them, a pattern that kept shimmering and changing on its own.

"Lady Epona," Chiron said with a slight tilt of his head. "I didn't expect you here."

"My king, Neptune, sent me here," the goddess said with little in the way of formality. "I'm to take his son from here to Sonoma Valley so that he is trained in the ways of his people."

Chiron bristled and looked at her. His eyes widened and were full of shock and surprise. Percy being a son of Neptune meant trouble. Especially if the Camp was to learn about it. The scars after the Civil War were fresh and nobody wanted to make it worse than it needed to be. The Mist would need to be woven even thicker and Grover would need to forget about Percy. The last was a tough thing as satyrs' minds were resistant to Mist and its effects.

"You know that he is a son of Neptune, centaur," Epona said more forcefully and Chiron bristled even more. "Don't argue with me. He wants peace, but if need be I'll strike you down and banish you to Tartarus."

"I know that he is a son of Neptune," Chiron said, weariness visible in his voice. "The issue is that Lord Hades has a Fury watching him. Dirae as you call them."

Epona looked at Chiron. Then she closed her eyes for a second. "That thing will know its place," she said, her voice hard and cold so different than her normal one. "And won't interfere in my plans. If it does, I'll send it back to its master. Neptune wants his son delivered safely to Sonoma Valley. If I need to blast an uppity being to shreds I'll do it."

"The boy is quite attached to his mother from what I saw. If you can, I would try to move his mother to the west, too. She's aware that we are watching her son and she's clear-sighted so Mist doesn't affect her," Chiron said and smiled sadly. "If not for the curse, she would have been the next Oracle."

"There's something you hide, Chiron."

"The man she married after Neptune left her. He's not the best being. Some of my satyrs mentioned that he smells so much that the smell of a demigod is impossible to spot unless they know that there is a demigod they should smell."

Epona's eyes darkened into a dangerous shade of blue that in the case of Zeus and his offspring meant incoming storm. "I see," she said.

Chiron could tell that she was not happy and that Percy's stepfather was for a very, very unpleasant visit. Romans were more distant than Greeks, but could be even more ruthless when they knew they could benefit from it and when they knew that violence was the only option they were outright terrifying.

"I hope that you explain to your faun that he needs to keep his mouth shut," Epona said, turning and stalking out of the room, finally allowing Chiron to relax and regain some measure of control over himself.

Epona was a goddess he rarely saw and as far as he knew, she was not a Greek goddess that changed into Roman form when Rome became relevant. She was a goddess from some other pantheon that moved to Rome when her lands were conquered and her people started to worship the Olympians. She was also a powerful lieutenant of Neptune which hopefully suggested that the Lord of the Seas meant business and wouldn't take no for an answer, which would hopefully bring some freshness to the politics of Olympus.

o-0-o

Neptune hid most of his godly power and appeared in front of Sally's appartement. He glanced upwards and winced internally as he could feel the gaze of Jupiter follow him from Olympus. His younger brother had a habit of spying on other Olympians and watching what they were doing, especially when it came to interacting with mortals and their former lovers.

Neptune rolled his eyes and knocked on the door, his form morphing into that with which Sally fell in love. The door was opened by Sally and he smiled. "Hello Sally. Can I come in?" he asked gently. "We need to talk."

Sally's expression morphed. From uncertainty to surprise and then to shock. "Hello Neptune," she said warily, her eyes widening a bit. "I don't think my husband will be too happy."

"And I won't be too happy if he causes us trouble," Neptune said casually, clamping down on his emotions. "You know whom I am-"

"Sally! Hurry up with that beer!" an angry, male shout interrupted them, making Neptune frown as whole building was shook by thunder.

"I think he won't mind my presence," Neptune said as he stepped inside and looked around. "I know it's rude, Sally, but if you want, I can give you a new life on the West Coast. For once, my brothers won't be a problem for me."

Sally let out a sigh and looked in the direction from where shout came. "In a moment, Gabe!" She then turned to look at Neptune. "Can you take me away from this _thing _and its behavior?"

"Yes, your son is a Roman demigod and there is a town called New Rome where you could safely live, away from Gabe and away from all of New York and dangers that come with it. There you can be under my protection and no god or monster will touch you."

Sally was about to answer him when some human male barreled in, shoved him away, and turned to look at Sally. "Where is my fucking beer, woman?!"

Neptune's eyes glowed with his true power and with one hand he grabbed the man before smashing him against a wall. "Watch your tongue, mortal," he hissed, a golden dagger appearing in his hand as he placed it against the throat of Gabe. "Watch your tongue and don't threaten a woman I once loved."

"Sod off!" Gabe yelled, his eyes widened in panic as he struggled against Neptune's grip. Yet there was something more, the primal anger and aggression of an alpha male that wanted to defend its territory. And a lot of alcohol, Neptune realized after few moments. "Get out of my flat!"

Neptune started to press the knife against Gabe's throat when Sally's hand stopped him. "Don't kill him," she whispered. "He's not worth your effort. Do whatever you want, but do not kill him."

Neptune looked at her and then at Gabe before his eyes briefly flashed and then Gabe's body went limp. The moment the God of Seas released Gabe his body smashed onto the floor, motionless. "He won't remember last few hours," Neptune said as he stepped deeper inside. "Now, Sally, where were we?"

"New Rome," Sally said and Neptune nodded.

"The only real place where demigods and their families can live in peace and without monsters attacking them," Neptune said as he walked to one of chairs in the kitchen and sat down. He'd already used enough power and didn't want to attract even more of Jupiter's attention. "One of my lieutenants takes Percy now to Lupa, Mother of Rome, to be trained and educated. And if you want, you can follow him west and live in New Rome."

"Will he be safer than here in New York?" Sally asked. "Will I be safer?"

"No monster dares to approach Camp Jupiter, base of the Twelfth Legion. Here you needed him." At this Neptune nudged Gabe with his boot. "So that his stink and aura could hide Percy when he is at home. You were abused just so that he could be safe."

Sally swallowed, but nodded, before looking at Neptune, some grim determination in her eyes. "How soon can I move there?"

Neptune smiled. "Whenever you want to." He pulled out an envelope. "Inside you have the details you need to access a bank account that should have all the money you need for moving there. I wish I could do more-"

"Shh," Sally said, placing her finger on Neptune's lips. "I know that other gods are stopping you from anything more."

o-0-o

Percy groaned and sat up. He didn't remember where he was. He didn't remember what time of the day or night it was. But he was sure that he had not been lying, well, sitting on a courtyard of some burned out villa. Especially not one that smelled of eucalyptus and burnt wood.

Something scraped against the stone. He whipped around and he saw a massive black-furred wolf move towards him, its eyes gold and full of primal hunger and aggression. It's jaws were apart and revealing long and sharp teeth that could rip his body to shreds.

The wolf moved closer to him and then stopped. Its ears moving, listening to something. Then it was gone, in its place a woman of black hair and golden eyes stood. "Welcome to Wolf House, Perseus Jackson," she said, smiling and revealing her elongated canines. "I'm Lupa, Mother of Rome and your father has great expectations of you."

"My… my father?"

Lupa's smile only grew wider and more feral at the same time. "Neptune, the God of the Seas and Oceans, The Earthshaker, The Stormbringer, Father of Horses. You, Perseus Jackson, are his first son in a long, long time and many people expect great things from you."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – chapter that originally was supposed to be longer, but I decided to cut it short and keep one more exposition for chapter three.**

**o-0-o**

"What?" Percy asked before shouting at the top of his lungs. "What?! MY FUCKING FATHER IS DEAD!"

Lupa didn't seem fazed by Percy's shouting and remained motionless. "Yell all you want at me, demigod. You are a son of Neptune and your denial won't change much, if anything. The fact is that he is your father. A thing no amount of your yelling and not wanting to accept it will change."

"You lie!"

Lupa let out a sigh before she changed into a massive wolf and pounced onto Percy. She smashed against him and shoved onto the ground, her paws gently, yet firmly pressing him into the ground "Demigod," she hissed. "I have patience. I don't get hurt by insults and slurs, no matter what you hurl at me." She paused and bared her teeth, saliva dripping onto Percy's shirt from her elongated canines. "But you never, never suggest that I lie. Never."

Percy felt the hot breath of the wolf wash against his face. He tried to look away, but there was something in those amber eyes that made him unable to move. He simply stared at them, his body feeling as if it was made out of lead and was extremely heavy. He tried to lift his hand, but the muscles and nerves in it didn't respond and it remained limp.

"You can tell that I'm not a human. That I'm something else, I'm not even mortal. I was there when Rome was founded. It was me who made sure Romulus and his brother Remus survived, it was me who fed them. I was there when Octavian was named Augustus and became the first of the emperors. I was there when Rome fell, it's last emperor losing the crown and blessing of the gods." She paused and slowly licked her lips, showing off her dangerously sharp teeth. "The gods are real, young Perseus. And they have children with mortals. Children just like you. Children that often have issues at school, at home and suffer from ADHD or dyslexia as you now call it."

Percy swallowed, somehow finding a way to speak. It felt to him as if the she-wolf wanted him to speak. "Mom said that father vanished and was lost at sea," he said, making Lupa nod in understanding and agreement. "Why is it that she told me that? She always repeated the same story, she never mentioned that he might be alive or that he might be something more."

Lupa rolled her eyes in a bit of irritation and then huffed, more in amusement and playfulness than anything else. "Demigods, no matter how old or young you are. You always have this question. Gods not always reveal their full divine nature to their mortal lovers. Well, most doesn't do it and very few did it, now even fewer do it. Think just for once. How would you react if she told you that your dad is a god? Your human brain has an amazing ability to ignore uncomfortable facts and accept what it wants so you would probably not believe her." Percy felt as if her eyes warmed up and were less cold than before. "I don't blame you for your denial. Just think for once on how would you react."

"I will try," Percy weakly said and looked at her. "It's hard to accept. So bloody hard to accept that he was always there and never deigned to take part in my life." He winced, pain of old memories flaring up in his mind. "Gabe…"

"Your stepfather was a monster, yet he had a purpose." At this a dangerous noise left Percy's throat. "Oh, I'm aware that he abused you. But he protected you in some strange and ironic way. Not that he will get away from punishment, we, gods can have very long memories and some of us have a habit of ensuring their grudges never grow forgotten."

Percy's jaw dropped as he looked at Lupa.

"He stinks so awfully that I can't smell you. You are a son of Neptune, one of the strongest Olympians. Your smell is like a beacon for the monsters. Telling them where to seek you and in many cases it tells them that you are weak, wounded or tired. In short, your smell is to them like blood in the water for piranhas. Your mother I think was very aware of whom your father is and married that mortal to protect you. To keep your presence concealed by his smell." Lupa paused for few seconds and shifted her weight, making Percy groan in pain. "I don't think otherwise she would have chosen to marry that being, at least not willingly like she did it."

"She did it for me?"

Lupa slowly nodded, her massive head gently moving as her amber eyes became full of compassion and warmth. "Yes, she did that and much more." She-wolf paused and Percy could feel her gaze analyze him for several more moments. "Before I get off you, let's make few things clear."

Percy nodded and momentarily winced in pain as her claws dug into his flesh. They weren't deep enough to cause bleeding and pierce skin, but they were still very painful and unpleasant.

"You are aware that I can kill you," she said slowly. "I can bite out your throat and say to your father that a monster got lucky. He would be sad, but he would understand and accept that." She smiled wolfishly and looked at Percy. "But I don't think you want to die, do you?" Percy's shaking head made Lupa's smile grow wider and wider. "So let's get few things clear.

"One, you don't question me. Two, you obey what I tell you to do. Three, this was your first and last warning."

She jumped off Percy and turned back into her human form, a smirk on face. One that almost dared Percy to do something stupid. "Do you understand me, demigod?"

"Yes," the son of Neptune said as he sat up, rubbing his pained back.

o-0-o

Jason Grace wiped the sweat of his brow as he looked at the city of New Rome and the fortifications of Camp Jupiter from the height of one of the nearby hills. This small valley hidden from the eyes of curious mortals by a thick layer of Mist was his home. It was the place where he spent most of the past few years. It was the only place where the demigods and their families were safe and the monsters were unable to hunt them due to the enchantments and the power of the Legion.

"Why are we here, Jason?" Michael Kahale asked and Jason looked at the son of Venus. "You decided to drag us all the way out here."

Jason sheepishly shook his head, his closely cut golden hair shining in the strong sun of California. "I had a dream," he quietly said, one of his hands holding reins of his horse while in the second he had a coin he received as a gift from his patron. "That something happened and that it will have an impact on the Camp and the Legio." He paused and shook his head. "She's not one to be enigmatic."

Michael laughed, making Jason glance his way. "If something was happening Lupa would have told us. Relax, Jason."

Jason nodded and looked towards Temple Hill and its temples with roofs covered in gold, silver and terracotta. There was something pulling him towards the place where the augurs of the Legion resided. "Strange," he muttered.

"What is strange?"

"The temple of my father...,"

"Jupiter," Michael guessed and Jason nodded. "Inside of it is something or someone you think is important?"

"I wouldn't call it important," Jason said and swallowed, looking for a word. "More like a hunch that can let us know what to do in the future. Maybe it will be good."

"You're talking like an augur." Jason glared at this, but Michael only kept grinning. "Fine, maybe there is something of note on the hill."

"That's better," Jason muttered and nudged his horse to move. Equestrian skills weren't the best part of him, but staying on horseback was a mandatory part of the training for all of the Legionaries. Even if he hated the idea of riding, he needed to do it ans that made him survive the training. "Let's hope the temple will be open."

"They will always open it just for you, Centurion Grace," Michael shouted, his horse galloping right next to Jason's. "Have they ever gone against you?"

Jason snorted and focused on riding. The extensive fortifications of Camp Jupiter rapidly grew in their size and scope. First the massive stone walls with the teeth in form of the towers watching over the neighboring area. Then appeared the field fortifications around it, their sight sending shivers down his spine. The wolf holes and other hidden traps there…

"Still having nightmares about that accident?"

"Shut up!"

Michael's laughter disappeared behind the thunder of hooves on the stones of the wide road leading towards Temple Hill, the most sacred complex of temples for any Roman demigod outside of those in the Old World. Alas the trips to the lands of the Old Empire were dangerous and not many dared to even attempt it. Thus all they could do was pray at Temple Hill or if they felt daring venture to New York and visit the seat of the gods, Mount Olympus.

As Jason looked at the gold and ivory statues of gods that lined the street towards the summit where there were the temples he wondered how the statues in Rome really looked. At the same time he felt a lot of pride, his ancestors really were amazing craftsmen and engineers, making his generation still discover some of their forgotten secrets. He stopped his horse in front of the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus and leaped down.

A massive statue of his father in a gold and silver robe watched everybody approaching the temple. Jason gulped as he looked up towards the stern and regal looking face of the statue. He brushed aside the urge to run away he suddenly felt and more determined walked towards the helmet. As he got closer and closer the instincts started to scream at him, each of his steps making them howl louder and louder.

"Let's see what the gods told you," Michael said cheerfully as he adjusted the scabbard of his spatha. "And let's hope we didn't waste all the time just riding here."

Jason snorted, put on his helmet before flipping the coin and grabbing pilum that landed in his hand. "I think there is more to this than we think," he whispered as he pushed open the massive doors of the temple. They moved effortlessly and without any sound, even if he wished for them to be loud and obnoxious, loud and obnoxious enough to scare away anything potentially lurking inside.

The temple was dim, none of the braziers lit and the only light coming through the windows, doors behind them and the skylights placed in the ceiling around the massive statue of his father. A statue that after so many years felt strangely familiar and even comforting. Yet today it was all but comforting or welcoming. Something was here, at the temple and Jupiter was unhappy.

"Show yourself!" he yelled, his eyes running across the temple.

A single being stepped into the light its body wrapped in a cloak of goat skin. "Is it really worthy to yell at your patron?"

The feminine voice and the way she spoke struck Jason like an invisible hammer, making him freeze where he was, unable to move. The only sign of his surprise slightly widened in fear and shock eyes. It couldn't be. She couldn't be here, not in his temple of all people.

She tsked in annoyance and looked at them. "Out of the great many beings that exist in the universe, I think that I have every right to be in the temple dedicated to my husband." She tossed the hood off her face and smiled as long tresses of brown hair fell down her shoulders. "After all, I'm the Queen of the Gods and I can do whatever I want." A thunder rumbled above them at her statement, but Juno seemed to be unfazed by the fact.

Jason's eyes focused on her as he regained his ability to move. "It was you?"

"Who is she?" Michael asked. "She looks like my mother."

At this the female being once again tsked in annoyance and moved closer. A crown of golden laurel leaves on her head and a scepter tipped with a pomegranate flower appeared as she walked towards them. "I'm Juno." Her cool chocolate eyes analyzed Michael before looking at Jason. "Yes, it was me. My more intelligent brother started to play with the skeins of fate and a prophecy has been issued. Your father and my husband thinks you should be kept unaware of it, alas he is mistaken."

"Prophecy, My Lady?" Jason asked, making Juno roll her eyes.

"Am I talking with a Centurion of the Tenth Cohort and a Centurion of the First?" she asked and looked at them with irritation. "Or am I talking with beings that should be thrown into the pits of Tartarus. I expected more from the Legionaries of Fulminata"

"Apologies, My Lady," Michael said, dropping to his knees and dragging down Jason. "Just such news are rare."

"I'll accept the apologies." Juno struck her scepter against one of the marble tiles of the floor and was gone in a flash of gold and fire that started to move, the tongues of flames slowly forming lines and lines of letters.

_To the east, to the revenge of the queen you go,_

_The praetorian's crown is your guide, to the cemetery of gold,_

_The good emperor is whom you seek, the mark of scorpio_

_Is where the treasure is buried._

_The dove, the eagle, and the trident shall guide you,_

_Without all three, the treasury won't be opened and you_

_Shall fail,_

_Behold the watchers of the throne, their loyalty_

_Only bought by blood and sacrifice of what's most precious to you._

"That..." Michael started

"Doesn't sound well," Jason finished, simply kneeling there and watching as the letters moved and one by one flew down to the floor where they started to burn out shapes in the marble. "The Legate needs to know. Same as the rest of the officers."

"The augurs?" Michael asked, some concern visible in his voice.

"For once I think they can wait... Their distaste of Neptune and prophecies that speak about him isn't the best thing now." Jason looked once again at the tile and shook his head. "No, they'll learn in due time. The Legate will be unhappy, but she can deal with them when she wishes to and I think she wants them angry then them screaming that all people related to Neptune should have been banished."

Michael nodded and knelt next to the tile, his fingers brushing over the burned out words. "Jason, you are a brilliant commander so far, but are you really sure you want to step into the boots of at least a Tribune with your decision?"

The son of Jupiter arched an eyebrow at his companion. "What do you mean?"

"Augurs," Michael said, getting up and walking to the doors of the temple. "They answer before the gods, the Senate, and the Legate. Sometimes the oldest tribune. Not before a centurion." He paused and turned, looking at Jason. "You are getting attention and your talents show. But for all of this, you don't have the power to tell the augurs what to do."

"I don't have that power," Jason said as he looked at the sculpture of his father, hoping to see some support and maybe appreciation of what he was doing in those cold uncaring eyes. "But I have the power of sharing the data I received with my superiors first. As far as I remember, augurs aren't my superiors and thus can wait for when the Legate deems it necessary for them to be brought into the fold."

Michael grunted unhappily in a way that suggested that he didn't want to agree, yet needed to. "Very well, but if someone is to pay for this, it won't be me."

"Of course. It will always be me that gets the praise and punishment," Jason chuckled. "Anyways, be a good person and keep people out of it while I fetch the higher ups."

o-0-o

Neptune sat on his throne a deep frown on his face. Even here at the center of his power and surrounded by the most trusted and powerful of his vassals and clients he couldn't control his emotions and focus on anything. His younger… brother made him wonder why did they ever entrusted him with the crown..

Ah, right, Neptune mused. We trusted him the most and thought he was less arrogant and foolish than me or Pluto. He reached to his side and grasped the gold haft of his trident, a wave of power rushed to his body as his mind calmed, the raw power of the seas and storms forcing him to channel his emotions into the seas of the world.

He looked at the crowd in his throne room and narrowed his eyes. "Out!" That single word sent all, but the most powerful lesser deities, running away from him. Angering the being known as the Stormbringer and Earthshaker was a risky move at the best of times. Now... Now it was a show of lack of any common sense and self-preservation.

"What do you want, sister?" Neptune asked wearily as he eyed the only remaining deities. "Go away to your husband and my brother. Teach him some common sense."

The deity shone brightly, shedding its aquatic form and instead revealing a beautiful matron dressed in expensive robes that seemed to stay dry no matter the masses of water that surrounded her. "I would have done so," she said. "If he had any common sense left. Instead, I need something from you."

"What?" Neptune asked, not even looking at Juno. Instead his gaze was focused on the shores of California as he watched Lupa and her little enclave in Sonoma Valley.

"Stop that storm that ravages Argos," she said coldly. "It's my sacred city and I don't like that you demolish it just because my husband has no brain. If you want to vent your anger on him demolish something important to him and leave my sacred city alone."

Neptune looked at the ceiling, his mind reaching out to the seas and oceans in and around "Done, but you'll pay."

Juno nodded and then smiled faintly. "Your son is part of the prophecy. The one you pretend you didn't claim as yours yet he now trains with Lupa."

Neptune rubbed his chin, his sea green eyes narrowing dangerously as he watched Juno. There was something she wasn't mentioning and he was very curious why did she decide to do it. "That prophecy you gave them. It isn't full," he finally said"

Juno nodded at this. "It isn't."

"Playing with oracles is risky, sister. We all know how that can end and I don't think that you want to feel the anger of the Fates."

"I didn't do it," Juno corrected him and smiled thinly. "All I did was reveal enough, just the right amount of the future. I didn't affect the prophecy, only kept the rest concealed from them until they are ready to learn it."

"I have warned you," Neptune said and shrugged. "As long as my son doesn't die because of your actions I don't have any grudge against you. If he dies..."

"He won't die. He is too precious for me in the grand scheme of things." She allowed herself a less restraind smile. "I know that he means a lot to you. The fact that you were willing to make my husband shut up and let you act says a lot."

"I needed to do something. If I hadn't, he would have died in a year or two... Maybe sooner and as opposed to our brother and your husband. I can be subtle in how I act and when."

Juno nodded and looked at the ceiling and the sky high above it. "My husband is such a fearful being once I disappear from his palace." She snorted and looked at Neptune. "I can't keep him waiting too long, so I ask you for one thing. Be generous to Perseus in your gifts and blessings. His future will be not the easiest one... He has the means to survive it, he just needs to know how to use them."

Neptune nodded sagely before returning to his musings... Perhaps, perhaps he would need to look at the weapons and armor he claimed over the ages as payments for various favors and actions he took on behalf of various groups, beings and people. There were also all of the things that were carried by ships that sunk and were rightfully his.

o-0-o

The temple of Jupiter's doors flew open as the Legate stormed inside. She was a girl in her late twenties, yet many thought she was younger, only to be painfully reminded of her age and experience when they looked at her face. Once beautiful, now it was covered by a net of scars and the pair of eyes that long time agoi had been filled warm and filled with kindness, the hardships of commanding the Legion and the life as a demigod turned them into two balls of cold and uncaring amber.

Her name was Drusilla and she was one of the very few Legionaries that Jason truly feared; he knew more than enough about the roots of her family to know that she was not a person to be underestimated. But it was not only her family that he feared, her prowess in combat was another, seeing her dispatch a group of monsters without even slowing down for a second made him afraid of her and afraid of what could happen if she faced him in combat.

"Stand on guard outside," she snarled at the pair of warriors that followed her. "I don't care who they are, they do not enter."

"Is that necessary, Legate?" Jason asked and she glared at him.

"Yes, the spineless beings known as our augurs will happily invite themselves," she spat and marched to the tile on which the prophecy was burned out. She knelt, pulled her helmet off the head and placed on the ground before glancing Michael. "Did anything change since Jason left?" The son of Venus shook his head. "For once you made a good decision, Jason. Keeping this away from the augurs is better than them knowing that it exists."

"They're afraid of Neptune, aren't they?" Jason guessed and hoping she wouldn't be angry at him for asking those questions. "That earthquake in the twentieth century. It wasn't Neptune's offspring that did it out of his own free will... He was forced. Wasn't he?"

Drusilla looked at Jason, a net of scars that covered her face moving and making her look even more grim and dangerous. "I could order you to be beheaded for knowing things you shouldn't know," she said, her hand slowly making its way to the pommel of her sword. "But in this case, this knowledge is actually useful and you knowing it makes things simpler for me. Yes, he was forced to do so and yes, the augurs did things. The prophecy is clear, but they have their own ideas." Drusilla looked at Jason and Michael, her eyes narrowed. "Do you get what I mean?"

"Yes, legate," Jason and Michael chorused.

"Good, once the son of Neptune is found I will be speaking with Lupa about him. You leave on this quest immediately after he is here and completes basic training. As much I would like to give you more time to get ready, we lack it." She paused and looked at Michael. "Talk with the Tribunes and have them take over temporary command of your centuriae for the duration of the quest. They will know that they need to agree to your request and allow you access to whatever gear you need."

"What about the Senate?" Michael asked and Drusila's eyes focused on him. "They're... Famous, yes, that's the right word. Famous for sticking their noses into every action of the Legion and questioning what we do and how."

Drusilla snorted in amusement, but then she got up and looked at Michael. "Yes, your description is very apt as they are prone to do so." She shook her head and looked at the sculpture of Jupiter. "However, dealing with them and their foolishness is my worry... And my beloved tribunes." At that phrase Jason snorted, but stopped when Drusilla's golden eyes focused on him. "Good, now pretend as if nothing happened and that we didn't do anything here."

o-0-o

Percy let out a startled yelp as he rolled out of the way of the wolf that pounced at him. He then scrambled back up and kept running. There were more canids right behind him, he could hear their howls and see their massive forms running through the forests flanking the path. They were relentless and never stopping their pursuit of him, he felt as if he had been running for hours now and they were still there.

Even if they weren't very visible, they were always there. Always. Awareness of their presence was a somewhat constant companion for past few days. It was there at the back of his mind, their howling to the moon and their games only reinforcing the point and making him be constantly on edge.

Percy moved out of the way of another beast that appeared out of nowhere. Wolf's body flew through the air towards him and the outstretched claws missed his shirt by millimeters. Looking back Percy muttered a curse as he noticed the wolf getting up before resuming the chase. It's teeth and claws just close enough to try to bite or scratch him.

The noise of running water and a sudden increase in humidity of the air made Percy push him just a bit harder, force his muscles to give him energy for one more, desperate burst of speed. He could see a stream right in front of him, the water flowing fast and something told him that it would help him. He leaped across the stream and fell painfully on its other shore, his legs screaming at him in pain.

For a moment nothing happened. Then one of the howls turned into a pained yelp. Then another and another. He stopped and turned around. The stream was now a wall of water, spikes pointing in every direction with wolves impaled on many of them.

"H-How?" Percy stuttered looking at the wall of water. He tried to scramble off the ground, but then a wave of nausea came from nowhere as almost all of his energy was drained from him and he smashed motionless against the ground.

"You are a son of Neptune, young Perseus," Lupa said, appearing next to him. "Water is yours to command and shape however you wish to. Whenever you're close to any body of it ask for its help and the water will come to your aid."

Percy nodded and crawled towards the stream. A voice in his head whispering. "_Water, Perseus, water, trust in its power. No matter the injury it will heal you as it gives power to me." _The moment his hand touched the surface, a tendril of water started to move up his body.

His scratches, scrapes, even that one bite he got when he was a bit too slow healed. Then a wave of new energy flowed into him. He felt as if he drank too much coke too fast. He was so full of energy he didn't know what to do with it.

Lupa looked him up and down and smiled. "Very good. I think that now I won't keep you running so much. You awoke your powers and that means we can focus on other things. Especially things you should know about the realm of gods and their servants. If you were a son of some minor god you wouldn't be dragged into family feuds, but Neptune..."

"Is a brother of Jupiter and Pluto," Percy finished. "The two other oldest and most powerful Olympian gods. Their power unmatched by any other god, outside of Mars."

Lupa gave a nod of acceptance and motioned for Percy to follow. "Yes, but being so powerful and more importantly influential as is your father comes with various groups and beings hoping to get your attention. Or more often, hurt you." At this the she-wolf shrugged. "I am not a goddess that pays much attention to the plots and schemes that happen in the gilded palaces of Olympus. However, I know enough about them to teach you how the gods think and plot and more importantly, how to stay out of their games."

Percy looked at her and then at himself and frowned. An unsettling idea started to appear in his mind, an idea he wasn't sure if he wanted to voice. "Since my father is so strong... Those gods that cannot hurt him directly will try to hurt him some other way." He could feel some approval coming off Lupa and he smiled at this. The Wolf Goddess was extremely scarce with her rewards. "Like trying to hurt me?"

"Yes and no." Percy looked at Lupa in confusion. "Yes, they can and will hurt you. However, your father or his lieutenants aren't stupid and they watch and listen to things happening around you. So none of the gods that have any intelligence, and I assure you that most of those that remain have a lot of intelligence and self-preservation will be subtle about the way they kill you or at least try to do so."

"And I guess I need to be able to protect myself on my own from them," Percy took a wild guess. "As my father won't be able to help and protect me."

"He can give you tools to do it," Lupa said as they stopped in front of a low bench. On it, on a piece of royal purple cloth laid a pair of weapons.

A long and straight sword that Percy could somehow tell was longer than a standard Roman Legionary sword, its blade made out of strange golden material. A material he by now knew was called Imperial Gold and was the favorite material for weapons of the champions of the Roman Emperors. Next to the sword he noticed a spear, the second he placed his hand on the strange bronze material of the haft he hissed in pain.

The metal was burning him, a moment, two, passed and the pain slowly went away, once it was gone he looked more closely at the weapon and noticed that the blade of the spear was large, heavy and shaped like a leaf.

"A spatha and a hasta from the armory of your father," Lupa commented before giving him a bracelet with a single big piece of lapis lazuri surrounded by gold and silver wire. "Put this on and tap the gem."

Percy inspected the bracelet and smiled when he noticed the trident that was carved in the lapis. A light touch made a large oval shield spring out. He looked at its surface and smiled. Tridents were covering its surface, between them thunderbolts and scorpions . "That's not a standard Legion shield, is it?"

"No. An officer shield is similar, but this is the shield that the cavalry uses." Lupa explained, looking into Percy's eyes. "To be exact, it is the shield used by the cavalry officers. However, this one is partially forged out of the Imperial Gold so it can survive much more. Your father would have given you more, but it would draw attention to you when you aren't ready for it. If you need proper armor and he thinks you deserve it, he will give it to you."

Lupa smiled wolfishly and indicated the weapons. "However, first you need to master those. A thing you'll start working on right now."

**o-0-o**

**A/N – I changed organization of the Legion to that from the history and its size also grew, so we have Legate in charge of it who is advised by a group of six tribunes, five of them career officers for whom being tribune was most likely the end of the career. The sixth of them and second in command was nominated by the Senate/Emperor and it was mostly based on how well-connected someone was.**

**The whole Legion is divided into ten cohorts and units of auxilia, but what are those auxilia units in this case, that's a sweet surprise I'll keep for later.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – Another chapter and still not much action, but it starts to pick up as chess pieces move across the board and the amount of moves grows smaller, but for a major clash you'll need to wait quite a lot of time as nobody wants to commit a lot of their pieces to a confrontation they can't win.**

**o-0-o **

A wave of rain washed over the Camp Jupiter. The steady noise of water smashing against the cobbled street below and the gently sloped roof above, combined with the occasional distant rumbling noise of thunder was surprisingly soothing for Jason as he looked out of the window. He couldn't even notice the guards that were somewhere on the walls in front of him. Through the wall of water he couldn't even make out the torches and lamps that he should have been able to notice from where he was standing. All he could see were brief flashes of light during those few moments when the rain became less heavy.

"You like being in the storm?" Michael asked, coming to stop right behind Jason. The son of Jupiter turned and smiled at the son of Venus. "You seem strangely content when there is one raging above our heads and you don't seem to care about it having a possibility to kill someone."

"Like?" Jason asked with a frown. "Not really. They make me calmer, but I hate being wet and there is no power that keeps water away from me."

"You're cute," Michael said and paused as Jason's sky blue eyes focused on him. "Or not so cute when angry."

Jason huffed and looked outside. He was worried, even terrified of the future and the changes that were coming to the Camp and the Legion in the near future. Even if he wanted to lie to himself he knew that coming of Percy would bring changes. Water and the sea was a force of change and children of Neptune were notoriously hated by certain parts of the Legion.

"Dad isn't very responsive to my prayers and attempts to talk with him... I know that he's the King of Olympus, but if I needed his advice he used to answer me in one form or another. I know that our parents aren't the most talkative bunch of beings, but still… They never ignore us and sooner or later give us a sign. He has been silent, completely silent."

"It's strange for you, isn't it?" Michael said and Jason looked at him. "I mean, him ignoring you even when he knows you need to soon go on a quest and want guidance."

"It is... He wasn't very talkative at the best of times, but he did talk to me if I needed it. Now I need his advice and he isn't answering me." Jason sighed and walked to a table that stood in the corner of their room and poured himself some wine before slowly sipping the slightly alcoholic beverage. "I don't know why..."

"And you're worried he left you because he doesn't think he you're worth his attention," Michael said, making Jason jerk and look up, his eyes narrowed as he looked at Michael. He didn't expect that, he never expected the son of Venus to be so blunt and direct. "Remember who my mother is. Venus." He grinned. "Not all of us are as charming or skilled in certain fields as I am, but we're all good at reading emotions of people."

"Right." Jason sipped the wine. It left behind a slight bitterness he felt on his tongue and wasn't overly fond of alcohol, but it did help him clear his mind in smaller amounts. "Speaking about you, did your mother send you a message or answered your prayers in any way?"

"Venus is different than most of Olympians. She's... less restrained and more careless," Michael said, his gaze darting towards the ceiling. "Well, careless is a wrong word. She cares less about the rules that govern the deities and she acts as she sees fit. If I want to talk to her, I usually can. As for the quest, she didn't say much. Just that we might need a forth companion. A companion that is a Roman, nor is."

"She's Roman and isn't Roman, at the same time," Jason repeated slowly, the words felt strange on his tongue and he was unsure how to approach it. He of course heard rumors of children of the gods living safely outside of the Camp, but they were just that. Rumours.. "You sure she meant exactly that?"

Michael rolled his eyes and stretched, making Jason eye his friend and the way his muscles flexed and moved. "Well, yes. She did say that. Why do you ask?"

"Stories of gods Lupa once mentioned, some of them ancient that never truly became Roman. They're just stuck in the middle, unable to go one way or the other. Stuck between worlds so to speak." Jason stirred the liquid in his glass, the crimson of the beverage swirling and changing colors as light passed through it. "I'm unsure if your mother meant that, but if she did, then we should talk to the Legate and her officers."

Michael was silent for several long moments. "I think that until the son of Neptune comes we need to prepare and wait." He approached Jason and placed his hand on the shoulder of the son of Jupiter. "I know you want to act, but we know nothing and we know the time isn't right."

Sighing Jason shook his head. "I know," he said slowly, carefully pronouncing the words before switching to Latin. "It is just that I know, I feel it, that there will be something bad happening and if we don't act, fast, the danger to the camp will grow and it might overwhelm the defenses."

"Trust in Drusilla and her skills," Michael murmured quietly. "She's the Legate for a good reason and we both know that she has the skills to defend the camp."

o-0-o

A thunder rumbled and a lightning bolt streaked across the sky lighting up everything for a second before darkness barely pushed back by the small and feeble flames of the lamps returned. Looking up Drusilla wondered which deity this time was angry at her, at the Legion or at one of her soldiers. The Olympians could be also fickle beings and it could have been simply that one of them decided to try to flood the camp.

She twirled an Imperial Gold dagger on the marble surface of her desk in the praetorium, a lamp burned brightly nearby and in front of her was a stack of reports she should have read by now. Drusilla despised her position; being in power often ended badly for her family. Several of her direct ancestors were stabbed to death by their guards and others were murdered by power hungry kinsmen. Even if she was surrounded by the guards she knew she could trust with her own life she still felt like someone could murder her, just to get the power she wielded. Or out of spite for her family, some people still, after two millenia since that day passed felt like her whole family should be murdered for turning Rome into an empire.

She placed aside her dagger and pulled off the ring she wore on her ring finger. It was probably worth more than her armor and gear. Family heirlooms such as this were insanely rare. "Let's hope you bring me more luck than you did my ancestors," she muttered.

A louder than average thunder shook the whole building and she frowned. Something made her feel as if she wasn't quite alone in the building. She drew her gaze away from her dagger and moved it towards her bodyguards. Batavi warriors that since ancient times guarded her family weren't Romans, which didn't stop them from being extremely lethal. Any of them was over two meters tall and hulking, built like a mountain, armored in Imperial Gold armor and armed with strange swords that felled monsters as easily as they felled mortals.

She snorted as she remembered how viciously the Senate tried to stop her from bringing them to the Camp. It felt as if the old crooks and greedy bastards sitting on that council had a particularly nasty grudge against her family and the people sworn to her.

"Check if anybody is outside," she said, and seeing their confusion added, "I felt as if some form of a deity appeared in the building."

Two of the eight she had with her at all times walked out, the massive door closing behind with a clap of a thunder… only for them to walk back in, just after few seconds. Drusilla smiled when she saw a proof of her hutch and the smile grew when she recognized the woman they led.

"Lady Lupa," Drusilla said with a tilt of her head. "I sensed your arrival and was expecting you."

Lupa regarded her with a cool gaze for several long moments. Then she looked at the Batavi bodyguards. "Dismiss them. What I have to say is for your ears only."

"They stay," Drusilla said and glanced at the pair standing right behind her. "Be kind and inform the rest of the guards that I don't wish anybody to be anywhere close to this room. You can use lethal force to remind them that I'm the Legate and my word is law."

"You question the Mother of Rome?" Lupa asked, her voice full of genuine surprise and some grudging respect, one Drusilla didn't expect. "None of the previous Legates told me no. All of them just accepted my words as law and did whatever I wanted them to do."

"If they were the Praetorian Guard? I would keep them away," Drusilla said and smiled sadly. "You know my family's experience with the Guard and you know that the Batavi are sworn to me as the heir of the house. They can't kill a goddess, even if they try, but they can stop anything else and stopped a fair share of the plots aimed at me."

"And the pair of them on guard in front of the Temple of Jupiter?"

"Security reasons. I don't trust certain beings to not babble about things they shouldn't talk about." Drusilla shrugged and looked at Lupa. "If I can make sure that the danger had passed, the temple will be opened once more. Until then, I want it locked and the text of the prophecy hidden from the Legion."

"I presume that the augur with their hand broken is related to that and the prophecy from Lady Juno." Drusilla nodded, her head tilting elegantly and making Lupa sigh in irritation. "I thought that Apollo was smarter in choosing the priests. But that's a matter for a different day. Today, I'm here on behalf of Lord Neptune."

"He has a son," Drusilla said and smiled at the look of shock painted on Lupa's face. "He was here. He spoke with me and asked me to help his mother adapt to the city. He mentioned that his son was sent to be trained by you."

"I'll send him on the way to the Camp in matter of few weeks. He is a son of Lord Neptune and you know what's expected."

"A Centurion position." Drusilla sighed, she hated the demigods that had godly parent that could force her to give them a good position. But then she realized that she looked for such an opportunity, at which a smirk appeared on her face. "The Centurion of the Equites Singulares Augusti could be changed. He is good, but he is in someone's pocket. I didn't find out in whose... but he's being bribed and I dislike that."

"You don't suggest that the son of Neptune gets that position? He has the potential, but being given command of the most elite unit is a bit too much."

Drusilla snorted and walked to one of the windows. Her gaze was drawn to the trees growing in the inner courtyard of the praetorium. She never understood why they were there when she was a Tribune. Now, as a Legate, she could appreciate the calmness they brought and a sense of serenity that in the troubled times let her know what she needed to do."

"It is too much." She let out a sigh, her fingers playing with her hair. "I know that he needs a decently high position as otherwise I'll have Neptune grumbling or one of his lieutenants reminding me that their lord is unhappy. At the same time, he will be an excellent rider and that's a rare trait among Romans." Drusilla shook her head and sighed. "If only the Equites weren't limited to Romans and I could fill them with the auxilia members, but the laws are laws and even I can't change that one."

"Indeed," Lupa said and Drusilla looked at the Mother of Rome. "I'm here to advise, not command. I will help you, but the Legion is the responsibility of you and the Senate. I won't force my will upon you, nor will I change your decisions and how you make them."

Drusilla bit her lower lip and started to pace across the mosaics showing Romulus and Remus with the very same wolf that now stood in her office. What Lupa said was true, at least in theory. It had happened in the past that the Mother of Rome took a more direct approach in how the Legion worked. However for the last at least three centuries Lupa was here only to advise and not to command, a change welcomed by the Senate, less by the Legates and Drusilla wished that the old times could come back.

Finally she stopped her pacing and looked at the she-wolf. "You can suggest that the Senate does something. They will do it, because most of us see you as a spiritual mother and our mentor."

"Not you," Lupa said quietly. "You're starting to remind me of the certain ancestor of yours. One that made Rome become the most powerful state of the ancient times."

"The one that became the god?" Drusilla asked with a small smile. "The one that you all like to mention so much."

"One before him. Augustus was good, but he wasn't as good as was the one that was before. It's a shame he died stabbed to death on that beautiful March day. He could have been an even greater leader than his nephew was. Alas Brutus killed him, not that he ever managed to restore the Republic he wanted, and it was up to his nephew to create the empire."

"Ah," Drusilla said and sighed. "Back to the issue at hand. He needs to go on that quest Lady Juno wants to happen. At the same time, the Senate will be livid if the new Centurion takes command of his unit and then hands it to a tribune to go off into the wild." She smiled, the gesture lopsided. "And then the augurs hate him because of the son of Neptune bullshit. Just yet another day for one cursed with being in command of the Last Legion."

"The Senate can be forced into silence. They are smarter than kids..." Lupa's voice was so dripping with sarcasm. Drusilla snorted. "The augurs… Lord Apollo likes his priests, but I don't think he will be willing to come to their defense if they undermine your position." Lupa's smile was as wolfish as it could get. "Your mother. She has some sway on Olympus and Apollo is lacking in intelligence, he can be arrogant, but he can also think and pick battles he has a good chance of winning."

"Yes, he is not stupid." Drusilla's hand returned back to her dagger and she once again started to effortlessly twirl the bejeweled weapon, then she looked at Lupa. "Can you speak to the augurs? Your wisdom and knowledge of the past might be a valuable lesson for them. Especially that relating to our ancestors and the way they worshiped the Olympians. The prayers they used, the feasts they celebrated and we since then forgotten about and the rites that you think would be useful for them to know."

Lupa's smile evolved into blood thirsty smirk as her eyes darkened. "With utmost pleasure, Legate."

Drusilla smiled at this and then slumped onto her chair. "Go away, Lupa. Do that and let me deal with the rest of the storm we all are walking into. I have headaches for days without the mess Lady Juno threw on top of it."

o-0-o

At the same time as the Mother of Rome spoke with the Legate, elsewhere, on Olympus another group of being met. The ruling council of the Olympians, the twelve siblings and offsprings of Jupiter attended by the swarms of the lesser deities and servants that were there to draw the attention of their patrons or get a new one.

Neptune narrowed his eyes as he watched the collection of his brother's offspring, a collection of scheming, unruly, overly ambitious and self-centered individuals that in many cases didn't care about the greater scheme of things. He couldn't understand how the council didn't evolve into civil war over some petty reason they all would have soon forgotten.

"I cannot understand why some of them are on the council," Juno said with a scoff and Neptune rolled his eyes, she was the one that made sure at least two were on it and she was the queen. "Some are ignorant and useless and a threat to Olympus."

"But they are too conflicted with each other to pose a threat to your brother's and husband's rule," Neptune murmured quietly, his sea green eyes focused on his heir and son, Triton. "Did you see the champions of Lord Mars?"

"Yes, father," the young sea deity murmured and Neptune winced internally, it probably meant troubles, sooner or later. "Outside of Lady Bellona all of them are here."

"Worrying," Neptune said before turning to face Juno. "Can you rein in your son before he does something incredibly stupid?"

"Like send a champion after your son kind of?" Juno asked an didn't wait for Neptune's answer before disappearing into the crowd.

"The joy of family meetings," Neptune snorted making Triton laugh. "The amount of animosity is so high that we can't stop our champions from going after sons and daughters of fellow gods."

"Your son?" Triton asked, a dangerous edge to his voice. "Did you father another demigod I am unaware of?"

Neptune was silent for several painfully long moments. Then he slowly tilted his head. "Yes," he finally said and cut Triton's questions with an angry move of his hand. "Not here. Not here, especially not now."

"Why, father?"

"Because your uncle and my younger brother already wants him dead," Neptune said and rolled his eyes when the whole massive hall was shook by the rumbling of thunders. "Here he comes, finally time to end this circus."

o-0-o

Percy ran his hand along the edge of his sword, a cloth in his hand removing the dust and grime that collected on the surface of the blade. With each move the impurities, blood and other things that covered the metal disappeared and once more he could see the shining and pure Imperial Gold.

"Good," Lupa said startling Percy and disrupting his moves. "You care about your weapons like I showed you. Many demigods don't take well to the fact that even if the weapons we use don't care about rust, they still should be cleaned. Especially if they're as famous as the one your father entrusted you with."

Pulling the cloth away Percy squinted at the blade, it looked like a typical spatha, straight and narrow blade that was maybe slightly above three feet in length with perhaps seven inches more of the handle. As he traced his fingers across the blade he couldn't understand what was special about the sword and there was nothing special that he could see. The guard was a bit boxy and heavy with rough finish to the piece of brass that formed it and the pommel was another piece of brass that in his opinion looked just plain ugly.

The weapon just looked normal to him, plain and utilitarian, not an ounce of anything special to it. He let out an annoyed huff and looked up at the she-wolf that watched him. "It's a normal sword," he said. "There is nothing special about it."

Lupa let out a barking laughter and shook her head. "You're mistaken, young Perseus, but it isn't the time, nor the place for me to tell you who used that very same blade before you were given it."

"Yet you told me that it's not a normal blade, why?"

"Because that's all I can tell you know and I thought you deserve to know it." Lupa closed her eyes and Percy could see her thinking about him in a way that he was unsure if he liked the outcome of or not. "What I can tell you is that it was used by one that many called Scourge of God."

"Scourge of God?"

"Let's just say he was famous for things you will learn about at the Camp. The Legio fought against his forces at several occasions, including the final battle where he was finally defeated," Lupa said and Percy groaned in exasperation, she was not helping him. "Weapons of the famous leaders, generals and rulers are often utilitarian and simple. Gems and expensive decorations on them draw the attention of the enemy..."

"Who wants to kill them, just to get the weapons," Percy finished and winced. "I can see now how it makes sense."

"Indeed. The fact that you are a son of Neptune paints an even bigger target on your back. The sea and the horses aren't the most loved thing by the Romans," Lupa said and bared her teeth in a wolfish smile. "However, the normal Romans have a lot of common sense and don't risk angering Neptune, however at the Camp there is a group that holds a lot of power and hates Neptune with passion."

Percy snorted as he returned to cleaning the sword. "Goddess, can you enlighten me as to why they hate my father?"

"I can and I will." Lupa paused for a second, the moment making Percy frown in confusion and worry. He was not liking the moments when she was suddenly very silent, very tensed and very ready to snap. It usually meant troubles for him "However, first you need to impress me with your skill with the blade."

o-0-o

Percy ducked under a swing of a massive meat cleaver and looked at the thing that held the chunk of metal. A massive, possibly even gargantuan cyclops that had somehow sneaked past Lupa's wolves and magic. It was easily over ten feet tall, a hulking mountain of muscles covered in crude armor of scrapyard junk and animal pelts. It looked feral and outright terrifying for him, he heard from Lupa how those things looked, but seeing one was a new and a very scary experience.

He activated his shield, ducking behind the piece of metal for protection, hoping that the Imperial Gold would be able to survive a strike or two. At the same time he reached for a hasta he had nearby, he snatched the spear and prepared for a brutal attack that never came. Gazing carefully from behind the safety of his shield he saw that the cyclops was waiting for something, as if it was confounded by someone only it could see.

"You're ugly, you know that?!" Percy yelled to get its attention and smiled like a maniac when the cyclops roared and charged at him. He waited for the monster to pick up speed and then leapt out of the way. He smashed against the ground painfully, but somehow he managed to shove aside the pain and he managed to leave a shallow cut across the back of one of the cyclops knees.

It wasn't the most effective of moves and he knew that Lupa would have scolded him for fighting this way, but he didn't see any other option. He needed some breathing space, even if it wasn't a thing he would get praised for. Even if it wasn't the most praised thing, it was approved more of than just dying foolishly.

The monster stumbled and fell forward, its leg incapable of supporting the mass of the muscles and bones. The roar that the cyclops let out made Percy's teeth clack against each other. Shaking his head he pushed aside the noise and focused on the beast. He gripped his hasta comfortably and then drove it into monster's back, the Imperial Gold blade easily cutting through the skin and thick bundles below it.

"That should kill you," Percy said as he shoved the spear deeper and then twisted.

The monster's movements first became weaker and weaker before finally stopping as it stilled completely. Percy looked at the scene, at the monster laying in the grass, the spear sticking out of its back, and at the meat cleaver that was thrown into the grass some distance away.

He pressed his feet against the beast's flank and with a grunt tore out the spear. Its head covered in a thick, black, blood-like substance. "That's disgusting," Percy muttered, looking at the once proud and shining spear tip, now covered in a pitch-like blood.

"At least his blood isn't acidic," Lupa said as she appeared behind Percy. "Drakons, especially old drakons tend to have blood that melts even the Imperial Gold. Those younger and smaller are less dangerous, but still can damage your armor and weapons. If you notice one that's moving towards you, forget glory and look for safety and allies that can help you take it down."

Percy looked at the wolf goddess and then tore out a chunk of cloth from what must have been the loincloth of the cyclops before starting to clean his weapon. "How did it get here?" he asked, his hand moving up and down the blade of his hasta. Wiping away the blood and making the shining Imperial Gold appear once more. "You mentioned that this place has magical wards and defenses that make it almost impossible for monsters to find it, and even less likely to attack."

"That is true." Lupa's voice made Percy wonder if she was being entirely honest. "That's the case with normal monsters." She walked to the corpse and yanked back its head. A sign of a scythe was burned into the tough hide of the monster. "This one, he bears a sign of a being that should be dead."

A hiss escaped Percy's mouth. A fear he didn't know and a chill he found strange gripping his bones. "Saturn, the thing that is the father of the first Olympians."

Lupa's nod made Percy's worst fears smash into his body like a tidal wave. "He was never dead. Well, no deity can be truly dead. Your uncle, Jupiter, chopped Saturn to pieces and tossed them into the depths of Tartarus at the end of the rebellion. There for milenia the fallen titan was trapped, unable to do much in the world. Until now."

Percy closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. Something in his memories nagged him, like there was something that happened and he knew or should have at the very least. "Jupiter lost his Master Bolt in June," he took a guess and Lupa's eyes widened. "Soon after that I woke up here. Jupiter accused my father of being the thief." Percy smiled dryly. "Or rather accused me of being the thief since gods can't steal each other's symbols."

"That's what happened, but it wasn't you that stole it." Percy snorted at this, his amusement getting a scolding look from Lupa which he ignored. "It was Lord Mars that instigated the act and it was done by a rogue son of Mercury."

The ground started to shake as anger almost got a hold of Percy. He barely managed to restrain himself and took a deep breath, right as one of the remaining columns of the villa smashed against the ground. "How? How did one of the most powerful and loyal gods decided to steal the symbol of their liege? How?"

"Because of your grandfather... He has many talents and gifts, one of which is warping minds of other beings." Percy was about to open his mouth, but Lupa's angry gesture stopped him. "Be silent, young one. Yes, we gods are resistant to such tricks. But we can still be manipulated, especially if we are on the more ambitious and rasher side. Mars Ultor is just that kind of a being."

"He thought he would get to keep the Master Bolt for himself?" Percy half guessed. "The son of Mercury was on the payroll of Saturn."

"That's what we believe and know for certain. However for now it's not for you to worry about. Your task is simple. Venture out of the Wolf House and find the Legio Fulminata. There speak with the Legate and tell her what you know and that her plans need to be hastened."

o-0-o

Chiron watched the Camp with worry in his eyes, his father was trying to escape and as always the Olympians were divided, their petty feuds and personal wars more important to any of them than the safety of Olympus. Those conflicts would only grow in scale and potency with each passing month, Kronos fed on such behaviors and mastered sowing discontent wherever he was.

Impact of it on the lesser gods and scions of the gods, the demigods, would be much, much greater and he had no tool to stop them from flocking to the banners of the King of Titans. He was no Lupa, he couldn't force martial law and keep the demigods inside of the camp training and preparing them for the war to come.

Romans, he hated on some levels their approach to individual freedoms and the individuality, but he grudgingly admitted they knew how to fight and knew how to remain united when his campers couldn't cooperate unless faced with an existential threat and even then the petty grudges and arguments would hamper their abilities. Not that Romans didn't have those, Chiron snorted, but they at least put them aside for long enough to deal with the threat.

"The future won't be easy, nor will it be fair," someone said and Chiron turned awkwardly, he had a dislike of deities appearing behind him. "As much as I hate to say it, old friend, it won't be easy or simple." Hera smiled, the gesture taking the old centaur off-guard. "He is rising, Zeus is blind, but the underwater forges of my brother work day and night to prepare his realm for the war."

Sighing Chiron looked towards the ocean visible off in the distance. "His domain is the gate to Olympus," he said and smiled bitterly. "He knows that he will be the one that will bear the brunt of fighting and his domain will otherwise be destroyed. Same as Camp Jupiter, they watch over the Mount Othrys and the Garden."

"They do and they have a much better chance of stopping most threats than we do have," Hera paused, a flicker of anger passing across her face. "My useless stepson, the drunkard, he shouldn't be in charge of the Camp. I don't approve of him sleeping with that nymph, but none of the progeny of my husband is particularly chaste."

"Athena and Artemis are different," Chiron pointed out with a slight smile. "They took vows of chastity they so far didn't break… Not that I think that they can or want to break them."

"They could do it," Hera said and paused, pursing her lips in thought. "They're however so connected to that part of their being that it would most likely destroy them or render them powerless." She shrugged and looked at Chiron. "However, that's besides the point, Dionysus and his worthless self will drag you down and there is nothing I can do about him, at least for now."

"I know. I know and I hate that I know that." Chiron closed his eyes, the memories of the reign of Titans weren't pretty or good and he hoped he could prevent them. It was a good time, for some creatures, those that Titans put in charge of things they wanted guarded. For the rest it was hell, he quite vividly remembered feasts held by his father where humans were the main meal, just because Kronos felt like it.

"Yes, we don't want those times to come back," Hera said quietly and Chiron barely nodded, the sadness and frustration heavy on his mind. "The only good thing so far is that Richard managed to recover his father's Master Bolt."

Chiron let out a sigh and shook his head. "That boy one day will be our doom," he murmured quietly. "He is too arrogant, too unstable and too powerful for his own good."

"Just like his father since he was born," Hera murmured and the next second she was gone, not a single sign of her presence left in her wake.

Turning towards the Camp Chiron started to make his way down the slope, the noise made by his hooves almost wholly muffled by the soft grass that covered the hill. There was something magical to it since Thalia was changed into a pine tree.

He smiled sadly at the memory and then he noticed Annabeth walking towards him, she was one of the brightest children of Athena and one of the brightest heroes he ever taught. If anybody was to find a way to defeat Kronos, it was her and her siblings, but mostly her.

**o-0-o**

**A/N – Greeks will have some attention in the near future, but now we will focus back on Percy and Jason and other Romans as they deal with their own share of problems spawned by a certain mountain nearby.**

**You'll get some of the information on the units mentioned above:**

**Praetorian Guard – the official bodyguard unit of the emperors, the best paid and the most elite, at least in theory part of the army. In reality, it depended on the period, as for example during Tiberius or Trajan's reign they fought a lot. Also their commanders were de facto aide de camp and chief of staff to the emperor and one of the most powerful men in the whole Empire.**

**Equites Singulares Augusti – horse branch of the Praetorian Guard and the records on what exactly they were are sketchy, but they were the horse guard of the emperors and they were the latest addition to the guard as it was Trajan that added them to the corps.**

**German Guard – guard of the Julio-Claudian dynasty recruited from the wilderness of Germania and believed to be more loyal because they were less politically connected than the rest of the Praetorian Guard. According to some historians they were a sort of the internal security force as after assassination of one of the emperors it was them that hunted down the perpetrators.**

**In short, all three are bad news for any monsters or other people wishing Rome harm, they're much, much rarer than the Legion, but they're also an unpleasant thing to meet and have the best gear.**

**As for that cyclops that got there, well, how did he exactly do it, you shall learn in due time as Lupa didn't let him know everything and knows there's more to it. But what? Future will tell.**


End file.
